Hunting Power
by frappegirl1
Summary: Conquering has always been the only thing that matters for the Cahill family. Which is why, every time their current leader dies, a teenager is chosen out of each branch to participate in a hunt. A hunt in which deceiving, hurting and killing is allowed. . . as long as one of the hunters is declared victor. AU, based on the wonderful Hunger Games Trilogy.


**Chapter 1: 'Charming' Bedtime Stories**

I never thought I'd see myself dressed in such manner. Nellie picked out a navy blue dress for me. And even though the halter neck suffocates me, I like the sophisticated air the empire waist and its knee-length gives me. Nellie decided to style my reddish-brown hair to end in soft curls, and she even applied a soft touch of blush on my cheeks. I look much more older than my sixteen years.

"Is it safe to come in?" I hear a girl ask.

I take one last look at my reflection before making my way to the door. As soon as I open it, a punk-styled girl bursts inside. It's my au pair, Nellie. My parents died in a house fire when I was seven, and even though my aunt, Beatrice, took us in, she's usually in business trips. So she hired Nellie to take care of my brother and I.

"Look at you," Nellie says, circling me as she inspects me with approval. "Did I do that?"

I can't help but smile. "The credit is all yours."

"I like the sound of that," she replies, nodding as she places her hands on her hips. "So. . . are you loving your new look just like I am?"

"Of course," I tell her. I take another glance at my reflection. "Actually, I think it's a bit too much for such a grim day."

Nellie's smile falters as she looks down. "I remember thinking the same when I was your age."

I fidget with my collar.

Nellie takes a step closer toward me. "But you've got to understand that the Clue Hunt is necessary."

I shake my head. "Yeah, but all the killing and deceit that comes along with it isn't."

Nellie purses her lips. I know she agrees, but she's too afraid to say it out loud. If someone is ever heard speaking foully about the Clue Hunt, its system or its conductors, you can be assured that something will happen to you.

Nellie glances at her watch. "Come on, Amy. It's time to go."

A rush of cold runs through me, and the slight braveness I felt before is suddenly replaced by fear.

Nellie takes notice. "You're worried that you will be picked?"

My voice is hoarse. "Who isn't?"

Nellie rubs my shoulders. "Amy. . . I can't assure that you won't be the Madrigal's next hunter. But if your name is called out today, I'm sure that you will do one of the best jobs ever."

I bitterly chuckle. "Me? The girl who once outside her house suddenly can't talk or do anything by herself? Nellie, please."

Nellie gives me a small smile. "I know you very well. Maybe more than you do."

"Uh, ladies?"

Dan, my younger brother, is leaning on the doorway. Even with his elegant attire, he still manages to look disheveled.

"I'm sorry to interrupt any bonding moment," he begins. "But it's time to go."

At first glance, you will easily come to the conclusion that Dan isn't worried about whether he will be picked as a hunter today or not. But if you take one closer look at his green eyes, you will be able to tell that he's terrified. After all, Aunt Beatrice used to take an extra pleasure into stuffing Dan's head with horrible stories about the Clue Hunt when he was younger. From what I've gathered, I can accurately say that being picked is Dan's biggest fear.

"Let's get going," Nellie announces, heading toward my bedroom door.

I take one last look at my room before turning the lights off. It could be the last time I'll ever look at it.

The Clue Hunt has been around ever since our family founder, Gideon Cahill, was killed by his own four children –Luke, Katherine, Thomas and Jane. Throughout his life, Gideon had made powerful discoveries that could easily turn him into the world's ruler. However, he didn't plan to use those discoveries to do so. He planned to use them to help the world. But his children didn't have the same philosophy. All they cared about was fortune and power. And for them, the only way to get it was to kill Gideon.

But after they did, they found a bigger problem –they couldn't find a way to divide the inheritance that would please each of their selfish guidelines. They wanted all or nothing, and they were ready to start a war for it. However, their mother, Olivia, had a different way of thinking. She only wanted peace. So she suggested waiting until her fifth and youngest daughter, Madeleine, was old enough to participate. After all, she was also one of Gideon's children. Olivia did this believing that after time passed, the siblings would've found a peaceful way to settle the conflict. However, it only made matters worse.

Once Madeleine was old enough, the rest of her siblings had already formed a family of their own. So they got an even more sickening idea –they'd choose their most clever and strongest child to fight against the others for power. They could deceive, they could badly-wound and they could even kill their fellow competitors for victory. Madeleine wasn't pleased with the idea, but she knew that if her father's discoveries landed on any of her siblings' hands, the world wouldn't be the same ever again. So she begged them to wait for her to have children of her own, so she could participate. Her siblings accepted, having in mind that Madeleine's children would be weaklings who only cared about maintaining peace.

And they were right. Once her eldest child was old enough, the hunt began and he was the first to loose, since he was wounded too badly to continue. Luckily, he survived. But that didn't stop the other four contestants from cheating in the competition until they became victors. At the end, Luke's child won and, just as Madeleine predicted, Luke only used the discoveries for his own selfish purposes.

Now, every time a current leader passes away, the five families –which are now divided into branches –randomly pick one of their children between the ages of twelve and eighteen, who are supposed to be trained for the occasion, to fight against each other for leadership. Whoever wins becomes the leader of everything once he or she turns twenty-three. And, since the Madrigals have never killed or cheated in the Clue Hunt, the others have easily defeated us with their unfair tricks. In fact, there has only been one Madrigal to have ever won. And that was my grandmother, Grace.

"We're here," Nellie informs us, snapping me out of my train of thoughts.

Her car pulls over in front of a luxurious mansion, one of the many reasons why we are dressed this way.

First's picking the contestants, and then there's an elegant dinner in which the hunters are presented to the branches. Afterwards, the contestants say goodbye to their families and are handed a suitcase with all the supplies they need. They're dropped off at the country where the clue hunt will take place, and have a two-week training session. Once the two weeks pass by, they have to do everything possible to gather clues that will lead them to victory.

I open the car's door and step out, suddenly feeling self-conscious about my outfit. I sigh and place myself behind Nellie and Dan, following them toward the large entrance door.

* * *

**Note: **In case you're confused: the Clue Hunt is like a less cruel version of the Hunger Games. For instance, it's not necessary to kill the others to win, and it only happens whenever the current leader passes away (even though they always train for the occasion). That said, I just want to thank you for checking this out :) I hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
